Recently, the media have issued numerous reports about the apparent increase in OxyContin abuse and addiction. OxyContin has been heralded as a miracle drug that allows patients with chronic pain to resume a normal life. It has also been called pharmaceutical heroin and is thought to have been responsible for a number of deaths and robberies in…

This resource guide provides information for counselors, physical therapists, and mental health professionals about alcohol and other drug problems of individuals with physical disabilities. The guide begins with 26 listings of prevention materials, including brochures, videotapes, classroom materials, and other items. Information provided for…

This digest defines drug abuse and examines ensuing family problems, methods of intervention and treatment, school related problems, and prevention of chemical dependency. (BH)

Reviews findings about effective treatment for cocaine addiction based on experience in a Beverly Hills out-patient clinic. Describes various therapeutic approaches, emphasizing that one of the most important components of successful treatment is tailoring programs to the needs of individual patients as they progress through the stages of…

This manual is designed as a cross-training program guide for counselors working in the fields of woman abuse and chemical dependency. (A cross-training program is a system for one (or more) agency personnel to train each other in their respective areas of expertise.) Chapter 1 discusses the rationale and goals of a cross-training program; issues…

This guide provides a detailed look at the biological basis of drug addiction, examining how the brain and its reward system work and how drug abuse can cause fundamental changes in the way the brain works. It is a resource for clinicians and practitioners. The first section of the guide provides an outline of the following basic concepts…

This paper reviews issues in the provision of services to individuals who are mentally ill chemical abusers and addicted (MICAA). Introductory material defines this population and notes that these people are frequently ineligible for services aimed at either mental illness or chemical abuse alone. Service provisions within the psychiatric/mental…

This paper describes the consumer program, "Helpful People in Touch," a self-help treatment program for people with the multiple disorders of mental illness, drug addiction, and/or alcoholism. First, the terms, "Mentally Ill Chemical Abusers and Addicted" (MICAA) and "Chemical Abusing Mentally Ill" (CAMI) are defined…